


Come Back to Me

by obisgirl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2013-09-23
Packaged: 2017-12-25 12:28:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/953107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obisgirl/pseuds/obisgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Emma is poisoned in Neverland, Gold manages to heal her using magic but she doesn't wake up immediately. Hook keeps vigil by her bedside and little by little, he realizes he loves Emma.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time characters are property of Disney and Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis. This fanfic is for pure entertainment.

_This isn't happening_ , Killian cries as Charming carries Emma's body into her cabin and lays her gently on the bed, fixing her hair.

_The attack was mostly a blur, but all of the sudden, arrows and darts were flying through the air and Hook had little time to react, yelling at Charming to run because there was no use trying to fight off the Indian's attack._

_He yelled at Emma to follow her father back to the Jolly Roger but when he didn't hear a response from her, he turned around and his world froze, seeing her laying motionless on the ground. Charming saw what he saw, he grabbed her body and rushed through the jungle. Hook followed close behind him._

“What happened to her? Did you see what happened?” Mary Margaret cries frantically.

David tries his best to calm her down and Hook notices Gold and Regina slip into the room, staring at Emma's body. He looks at Hook and then comes closer to Emma, waving his hand over her. Hook watches as Gold's magic slowly heal her but Hook knows what those darts are capable of. Magic is only a temporary fix, if Gold's magic can heal her at all.

Because the reality is, Emma's been poisoned.

Hook's familiar with the poison the Indians use and it's effect are almost instant but in Emma's case, they were not that far from the Roger when they were attacked so she at least had a chance that they could save her in time before the poison takes full effect.

Still, Hook's not sure magic can heal her.

Thankfully, Gold manages to heal her and that fact calms down Mary Margaret but she's still not awake, and that worries Hook. If she's healed, she should be awake.

“Why isn't she awake?” he asks bluntly.

“Miss Swan will need time to recuperate before she wakes up,” Gold says, “The only thing we can do now is wait,”

“But she is healed,” David says, his eyes darting between Emma and Gold.

“She is but we're going to have to scale back our search efforts until she's fully recovered,” he adds and Hook doesn't like that.

“No,” Hook retorts and they look at him. “I made a promise to Emma that we would find Henry, and we can't stop looking now; not when we're close to finding him,”

Mary Margaret comes closer to him and smiles at him reassuringly. “I don't want to stop searching either Hook but I don't think any of us are willing to leave the Roger until we know for sure Emma is going to be okay,” she reasons.

“I agree with Mary Margaret,” Regina adds, “I know, shocking, but I agree. We can't have our attention divided,”

“We'll take turns watching her,” Charming offers, “Who wants to take the first shift?”

Hook already knows his answer. “Aye, I will,” he says.

~~

Seeing Emma helpless brings back memories of seeing Milah die in front of him. They aren't the same circumstances but he was still powerless in both situations to help.

There is one condition that separates what happened to Milah and Emma, Gold actually saved Emma from dying. He had too. Henry's his grandson.

Henry.

Hook stares blankly at Emma and gulps, remembering seeing the young lad twice back in Storybrooke. He remembers how determined Emma was in the Enchanted Forest to get back to him, how she locked him up. He was hurt, disappointed that she couldn't trust him and then, later, that hurt and disappointment faded into anger.

But everything Emma has done since he met her was for Henry. He barely knows the lad but he knows Emma loves him and he is the only reason that they're in Neverland.

She needs to wake up because Hook doesn't want to be the one to tell Henry that despite their efforts to save her, they couldn't.

“You have to fight Emma,” he whispers to her, “You have to wake up, for Henry,”

 _And for me_ , he adds silently.

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He gently reaches to her forehead and brushes her hair with his good hand. “I can't take this silence, can't stand seeing you like this...there aren't many people who challenge me the way you do and it bloody scares me that I could lose you, because I don't want to lose you,” he cries.

When Mary Margaret stops by later and finds Hook, still sitting beside Emma, keeping vigil; it moves her. It's past dinner time and she knows he probably hasn't eaten anything and as much as she admires his devotion, he shouldn't neglect taking care of himself.

“There's still some leftover food in the galley if you're hungry,” she offers.

Hook doesn't say anything.

“I know if you could have done something to save her, you would have but there's nothing else you can do now except for maybe eat,” Mary Margaret reasons, “I'll watch her,”

He turns to Snow and then glances again at Emma before standing, quietly leaving the cabin.

~~

Hook has a little to eat and discards the rest, putting it away and leaves the galley, making his way back to Emma's cabin to relieve Mary Margaret but stops when his way is blocked by the crocodile. He can't avoid him but Hook suspects Gold is not there to hurt him.

“You should rest,” he says and his concern takes him aback.

“I'm not resting until I know Emma is alright,” Hook retorts and starts to move forward but Gold doesn't budge.

Gold sighs. “We all have an interest in Miss Swan's recovery Hook, but seriously, you will not do her any good if you're too exhausted to watch her,” he reasons, “You should rest. Mary Margaret can watch her the rest of the night,”

“Clearly, you won't let me pass until I agree to taking it easy but you forget crocodile, this is my ship and you don't give the orders around here; I do,” he retorts, “So if I were you, I would let me pass unless you fancy my hook in your chest again,”

Gold reluctantly steps aside but as soon as Hook takes one step, Gold waves his hand and he drops onto the floor, sleep immediately taking over. Charming steps out from his room and looks between Gold and the Captain.

“Is he?”

“No, he's not dead,” Gold assures him, “Just make sure he gets to his cabin and sleeps. And when he wakes, tell him 'you're welcome,'”

~~

Hook rubs his forehead, moaning the next morning as he groggily wakes up, finding himself in his cabin. He rises too quickly and feels disoriented for a minute and then stands, leaves the cabin and makes his way over to Emma's. David's there, resting his arm against a desk and sleeping. He ignores the prince and goes over to Emma, studying her face.

Still, no change.

He sighs and hears David wake up behind him.

“Hook,” he says, rubbing his eyes, “Any change?”

He doesn't say anything, turning to face Charming. Hook remembers the crocodile confronting him and then he passed out. “Rumpelstiltskin?”

“He said to tell you 'you're welcome,'” he says and looks at Emma, sighing. “Looks like it's going to take awhile longer for her to recover,”

Hook stab his hook into a desk and stalks out of the cabin, finding Regina, Rumpelstiltskin and Mary Margaret eating breakfast in the galley. “You used magic on me!” he fumes.

“Yes, and I think a thank you is in order,” Gold muses.

“Thank you for what? For using magic on me?!” he fumes.

“You needed to sleep Hook,” Gold reasons, “You can't watch over Emma 24/7. She will recover eventually but we don't know Neverland quite as well as you do, and for that, we need you to be alert,”

Mary Margaret smiles. “I agree,” she whispers.

“Rumple conjured up some breakfast,” Regina offers, “You're going to need your strength Hook if you plan to continue watching her today,”

Hook glances at the table, noting the delicious breakfast spread and is slightly impressed it all came from magic but he still doesn't trust the crocodile. He begrudgingly sits down at the table and helps himself to some food, muttering thanks.

Gold smiles, before taking a bite of some bacon.

~~

Hook knows about patience. He's been patient for 300 years, figuring out a way to kill the crocodile and get his revenge. Now, he's let go of his revenge but still holds onto Milah's memory, never wanting to forget the brief time they spent together. No one cared about him until her and then, there's Emma.

He isn't entirely sure what her feelings for him might be but Hook is sure, every moment he spends watching over Emma, he knows that he feels something for her. It looks as if she's sleeping and she'll wake up any time now but Hook knows that's not the case.

She looks so peaceful, relaxed and unaware what seeing her like this does to him. He's angry, confused and so incredibly scared he might lose her. For the longest time, the only two things he cared about were his revenge and staying alive long enough to exact his revenge. Now, he feels as if that last bit of hope, of possibility slipping through his fingers.

He can't stand the silence, can't stand seeing her so helpless and he feels as if he might crumble if she doesn't wake up. He sighs and dares himself to look away, remembering how he awoke to find her sitting by his bedside in the hospital back in Storybrooke.

Now, the tables have turned and it's him, waiting on her. He gently reaches to her forehead and brushes her hair with his good hand. “I can't take this silence, can't stand seeing you like this...there aren't many people who challenge me the way you do and it bloody scares me that I could lose you, because I don't want to lose you,” he cries, “I came back to honor Bae's memory but I also came back because of what you said to me in the diner. I'm here because of you and I wouldn't abandon searching for your boy if something happened to you, but here I am...talking to you, hoping maybe you can hear me,”

“She probably can,” Gold reasons, interrupting him. He glares back at him, annoyed and embarrassed that of all the people on this ship who could interrupt him, it had to be Gold. “But I wouldn't stop,”

“This is a private moment, Rumpelstiltskin,” he seethes.

“I'm sorry if I'm interrupting,” Gold says quickly, “but I honestly, couldn't help overhearing your heartfelt speech. I knew there was an attraction between you two but I didn't consider feelings might be involved,”

Hook looks down at Emma and then turns defensively to Gold, regarding him. “If there are feelings involved, it's between Emma and me, and it doesn't involve you,” he declares.

Gold raises a finger. “Remember that day? The one where I found you and Milah together? I know, it's an unpleasant memory but I said something to you; that it wasn't in the cards for you to die?” he says, eyeing Emma lying unconscious. “I was right. It wasn't your destiny to die that day because as much as you loved Milah, she wasn't the one you were meant to end up with,”

“I hoped that she was at the time until you took her from me,”

“The future isn't always what it seems,” Gold continues, “but I think, if you're patient and able to let go of the past, you still have a chance at your future and maybe, even your own happiness,”

Hook only glares at him.

Gold turns to leave and then stops, hearing Hook mutter something under his breath. “I'm sorry, I'm an old man; didn't quite hear what you said just now,” he teases.

“I said 'thank you' – for saving Emma's life before,” Hook says flatly, “I knew you wouldn't let her die but still...”

Gold nods and quietly leaves the room. Hook turns around and looks at Emma still motionless. It breaks his heart seeing her like this and doesn't want to think that he's lost her already but he needs to hope that he'll get another chance to look into those beautiful green eyes, and maybe see his future.

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are even fewer moments he actually considers the crocodile's words. It's still hard for him to trust Rumpelstiltskin but in this case, he thinks he may actually be right.

There are few times Hook reflects on his life.

He was willing to give up his revenge for Baelfire, so he could have another chance at being a family but Bae turned him down and the second and the last time it happened, Emma offered him a chance to help save the town and be a part of something. He took the bean and was seconds away from leaving Storybrooke and then changed mind, came back, ready and willing to help.

There are even fewer moments he actually considers the crocodile's words. It's still hard for him to trust Rumpelstiltskin but in this case, he thinks he may actually be right.

_I think, if you're patient and able to let go of the past, you still have a chance at your future and maybe, even your own happiness._

He was happy once with Milah and they would have continued to be happy together if they hadn't come back to the specific port. But his happiness and his love died the day the crocodile took her from him and he spent every moment since then, trying to find a way to avenge her.

Hook had held onto Milah's memory for a long time, using it as a shield. He'll still always love her of course and then he looks at Emma and considers, maybe she is his future. Maybe she's his second chance at happiness, but true love has to go both ways.

He sighs, remembering the last conversation he shared with Emma before the Indians attacked.

_The first couple of days had been spent trying to figure out how to go about searching for Henry. Hook did not want to split up, especially since the Charming family didn't know Neverland the way he did. But after searching as a group the first day, it became very evident that they could cover more ground quicker if they split up. That caused another argument about who would be going with who; however, once that was settled, they quickly set off._

_Regina went with Mary Margaret and Gold, and Charming stayed with him and Emma. Looking back, the only reason Charming volunteered to go with them was because he didn't trust Hook to be alone with his daughter; which he could understand._

_They had been circling around the island for hours and stopped briefly to rest. “We'll find him, you know,” he offers her, handing Emma a canteen. “It's water love, not rum,”_

_She takes it, thanking him and takes a swig. “I know we will,” she says and he looks at her curiously. “I know it's not going to happen overnight but we will find him,”_

_“That begs the question: how did he find you?” he asks, raising an eyebrow._

_“Whosyourmama.org,” she reasons and he looks at her oddly. “That's how he found me initially, and then he actually hopped onto a bus and found me,”_

_Hook laughs and Emma can't help but smile, reflecting on the memory. “I picked up a birthday cupcake earlier that week and put it in my fridge, saving it for the actual day. It had a blue star on it, the whole make a wish upon a star and maybe, your wish will come true and I wished, for once, not to be alone on my birthday. Because I had always been alone and didn't really expect that birthday to be any different from all the others,”_

_Charming's silent, trying not to eavesdrop but it's hard not too when he's watching them. “And then Henry shows up and introduces himself as my son. I had a son but I gave him up for adoption and he begged me to come with him, back to Storybrooke. I reluctantly agreed and drove him back, telling me that I was the savior and I was destined to break a curse I didn't believe in at the time,”_

_“But you stayed,”_

_“I stayed because I was worried about him and after being alone for the past eleven years, I started to care and fell in love with him and it hurts being separated from him again,” she cries._

_Hook gently touches her arm and she looks at him. “We will find him Emma,” he promises her and his hand lingers on her arm and he can't help but stare into her green eyes and feel for her. He doesn't notice the Indians slowly creep around them, watching their moves and missing the apparent danger._

~~

He recognized something in Emma's eyes that day, the hope and the possibility of finding love again. She lied to him about falling in love on the beanstalk but backtracked later and admitted, that she was once. Love had been all too rare in her life, as it had been in his life since losing Milah.

Now, could it be after three hundred years, finally letting go of his revenge that he's falling in love again?

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If Emma ever woke up, the only thing he wants to do is protect her heart and maybe even, help her open up a little more to possibility.

Hook wrestles with his feelings as he continues to keep vigil over Emma. He thinks about the moments she's fascinated him (like that time he tried to make small talk with her climbing the beanstalk; how he could read her like an open book), when he confronted her in Rumpelstiltskin's cell and told her he wouldn't have abandoned her the way she was abandoned (which he meant) and made her realize, she made a mistake, leaving him behind but deep down, he understood why she did it.

Emma has a fragile heart.

No one was there to explain to her about the curse and why she was forced to grow up without her parents; Bealfire abandoning broke her ability to trust and she put up a wall to protect herself from being hurt again. He used his revenge in much the same way, focusing his time and energy on a single cause so he could avoid feeling anything else.

If Emma ever woke up, the only thing he wants to do is protect her heart and maybe even, help her open up a little more to possibility. He needs to feel that kind of hope again and he's desperate to feel it with her.

_You can join us and be a part of something, or you can do what you can do best, and be alone._

“I want to be a part of something, Emma,” Hook whispers, “I want to be a part of something with you, love,”

At that moment, Mary Margaret stops by, watching Hook sit with Emma and she stares curiously at him. She watches the way he is with her. He's not saying anything but the way his deep blue eyes are staring at her lovingly, the way his fingers play with her hair, makes her heart flutter.

She's there to relieve him of his shift but now feels as if she's walked in on something intimate and backs away, returning to her quarters.

~~

“I thought you were supposed to relieve Hook?” Charming asks as his wife slips into their cabin. “unless Emma's woken up?”

Mary Margaret smiles timidly at him, standing by her bunk. “She hasn't woken up,” she confirms and David sighs heavily. She comes over Charming and hugs him. “Gold healed her,”

“If she's healed, why isn't she with us?” he counters.

“I don't know but it's going to take time before she wakes up,” Mary Margaret reasons, and maybe true love.

~~

The debate over whether Captain Hook is Emma's True Love continues in Mary Margaret's and Hook's head for a couple of days. If Mary Margaret even mentions the possibility of Hook as Emma's True Love to Charming, she's sure that his reaction would not be a positive one so she refrains from doing that.

After all, with Emma in a sleeping coma, and Hook their only guide through Neverland, it would not do to put him in a coma or kill him. But Hook's mind works differently than Mary Margaret. He continually watches over Emma from the moment the sun rises in Neverland 'til it sets.

Hook takes his meals in her quarters, training his eyes on her as he eats his food. When she sees him looking at her intently, she wonders what his inner monologue sounds like, if he's considering the same thing she is where Emma is concerned and thinks it's so adorable how he doesn't really pay attention to his food and focuses on her.

~~

He loves her, Mary Margaret is sure of that and though she can't speak for her daughter, she hopes when Emma wakes up, she lets her walls come down and lets Hook in. Because Emma deserves that kind of love, all-powerful, passionate, selfless True Love and Mary Margaret knows if Hook truly loves her, his love will only be for her and her alone.

Hook would always put Emma first; he'll fight for her as Charming fought for her. They already work so perfectly in sync with each other, that kind of familiarity will only get stronger with the blossoming of their love.

 _Love is all they need_ , she realizes, _that – and true love's kiss_.   
  
tbc


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hook,” Mary Margaret says bluntly and he looks at her. “I'll make it easy for you. Do you love her? It's a simple question,”

Mary Margaret rushes through the ship, crying frantically because she knows what can save Emma. The answer's been there all along and she knows, there's a chance it may not work because this isn't a sleeping curse but this is Neverland. She nearly collides into David and he braces her, confused what all the excitement is about.

“True Love's kiss!” she cries, “Emma needs True Love's kiss. That will waken her; it has to!”

David looks at his wife skeptically. Normally, he would agree with her but this isn't a curse; Emma's recovering from poison and being poisoned is not the same as a sleeping curse. “Mary Margaret, Emma's not under a sleeping curse. She was hit with a poisonous dart, Gold healed her and she's still recovering. I don't think True Love's kiss has that kind of power to wake her in this situation,”

“True Love's kiss is the most powerful magic, David,” Mary Margaret continues, “It saved me twice and I know, it can save Emma too,”

“Except there's a problem with that,” Regina says suddenly, forcing them to look at her. “Her True Love is dead, so who else is there?”

“Actually,” Gold interrupts, appearing out of nowhere and joining them in the narrow hallway, “Her True Love is not dead; he's here on this ship, probably sulking in black leather,”

Charming looks at him skeptically and shakes his head. “I thought Neal was Emma's true love?” he asks. “Neal's dead. Tamara shot him and Emma saw him fall through the portal,”

“There is a difference between true love and first love,” Gold says flatly, “and while, I hoped that Bae and Emma would find happiness together; it wasn't entirely for their benefit. I wanted my son back but now, circumstances have changed. Hook is her True Love,”

“What the bloody Hell is going on out here with all of you rambling about?” Hook interrupts loudly, “These walls are very thin; I could hear the lot of you talking, very loudly,”

Mary Margaret smiles excitedly and she looks to David, then Hook. “Should I tell him, or you?” she asks.

“Tell me what?” Hook demands, raising an eyebrow.

~~

It's an uncomfortable meeting, with David still on the fence about the possibility that Captain Hook of all people is his daughter's true love. He doesn't fancy a pirate as a son-in-law; Regina thinks having a pirate in Emma's life would be a bad influence on Henry if they ever got him back which automatically makes her a big supporter because it would make Emma look bad and she'd get Henry all to herself.

Rumpelstiltskin is behind the idea of using True Love's kiss, even though he's not enthusiastic about the relationship part but he also realizes that they have to do something to save Emma instead of sitting around and staring at her. They need to pick up the search and find Henry before something really bad happens to him.

Mary Margaret is the only one in the room with the biggest, most hopeful grin and pleads with Hook to try true love's kiss on Emma.

“I'm not sure I can do this,” he reasons, stepping away from them.

“Hook, now isn't the time to start doubting yourself,” Mary Margaret pleads, “I know you love her. I've been watching the two of you since Emma was...and it's next to impossible to pull you away from her,”

“I agree with that,” Gold says, “I had to splash you with some sleeping dust so you could get some rest,”

Hook sighs, glancing back at Emma and then to the Charmings. David is as skeptical as he is about this working and Snow is...too excited and hopeful to see otherwise it might not work. He looks at Rumpelstiltskin and remembers what he said about letting go of his past and remembers Emma. He hates seeing her so helpless but this not a curse. She was poisoned.

“Hook,” Mary Margaret says bluntly and he looks at her. “I'll make it easy for you. Do you love her? It's a simple question,”

Hook looks longingly at Emma and remembers his inner monologue, debating the same question Mary Margaret just asked him. He does love her so much, and he hates that it took an accident to make him realize his true feelings for her. She always fascinated him but never considered how much she meant to him until he was faced with the possiblity of losing her.

“I do,” he breaths and that admission elicits more than a few gasps.

“Then you have to do this, you have to kiss her,” Mary Margaret reasons.

Hook sits by her once again and is about kiss her when Charming throws up his arms. “This is a ridiculous idea,” he cries. “Emma was poisoned. True Love's kiss will not work,”

Mary Margaret glares at him. “Gods help me David, I cannot sit around anymore waiting for Emma to wake up!” she retorts. “Give Hook a chance,”

“I think this one of those times you need to accept defeat,” Hook reasons, “I'm scared about trying this because I don't know if it'll work either. I love Emma, I truly do but I don't know if she loves me but I am willing to try even if there's the smallest chance she'll wake up,”

David relaxes a little; he still doesn't like the situation but he knows the power of true love's kiss and if it works, he'll deal with that headache later but there's no use arguing about it.

Mary Margaret smiles hopefully at Hook and he turns around, kneeling in front of Emma with all her family standing around him, anxiously waiting for him to kiss and wake her up.

But why does everyone need to watch? He shakes his head and leans over her, breaths away from kissing her and then stops, turning back to the Charmings.

“I'm sorry,” he sighs, “but this isn't exactly romantic or the way I thought Emma and I would share our first kiss. Is it possible we could get some privacy?”

“We have to see if it will work,” Charming reasons and Snow glares at him.

“No, Hook's right,” Snow says, “This isn't at all romantic or conducive to kissing. We should go,”

“I suppose we'll know if it works or not in a few,” Gold says, leaving the cabin first.

Regina quietly follows him but Snow has to drag David out, and she closes the door behind her, giving Hook his much needed privacy. He sighs again, turning back to Emma. He fixes her hair and leans over, his lips hovering over hers...

tbc


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don't think I can deal with the disappointment if this doesn’t work,” he cries, raking his good hand through his hair.

“I don't think I can deal with the disappointment if this doesn’t work,” he cries, raking his good hand through his hair. “This isn't a spell. I know your mother is trying to be optimistic but what if this doesn't work? What if it's not me? We never talked about our feelings; all there's been are nights where I listened to you talk about your son, held you when you felt you weren't strong enough to deal. I don't even know if you love me,”

He stares at Emma's sleeping form and sighs. “I loved before, I loved so deeply and then I lost her. It took me a really long time to realize, the empty life I was living. I was so focused on the pain of losing her that day that I didn't allow myself to feel anything else,” he reasons, “Maybe you are my second chance. Maybe if I kiss you, you will finally wake up. Because I truly hope, you are my second chance Emma. Please come back to me love,”

Hook inhales deeply, closes his eyes and takes a leap of faith, kissing her softly. He lingers awhile longer, still kissing her before he backs away, studying her face. Still, no change and he laughs bitterly, wiping away a tear.

Of course, it wouldn't work. This is not a curse and he's not her true love. Hook stands and starts for the door, wondering how to tell Snow and Charming that the kiss didn't work when he hears his name.

“Killian?”

Hook shakes his head and turns around, expecting his mind to be playing tricks on him but Emma's awake. He rushes over to her, helping her sit and cradles her body, using his hook to support her back. “You're all right,” he breaths.

“What happened?”

“You were shot with a poisonous dart; Gold managed to heal you but I guess, you were in a coma,” he reasons, studying her in awe.

Emma feels her throat and he finds a mug, fills it with water, gives it to her and she drinks it. “Henry?”

“We had to stop looking for him until you recovered,” he explains and smiles, staring lovingly at her; although Emma's still oblivious. “It's good to have you back, Emma,”

She looks at him and smiles a bit. “Thank you for sticking by me,” she says and he looks at her curiously. “You didn't have to...Henry's my first priority but thank you,”

“You were my first priority,” he reasons, playing with her curls.

“What?” she asks, looking at him oddly. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Looking at you like what?” he counters teasingly, still playing with her hair. “I'm just really happy that you're alright and I can look into those beautiful eyes of yours. I never realized before how much you meant to me until I realized I could lose you,”

Emma starts to say something and then stops herself, studying him. She doesn't know what he's been through the past couple of days, doesn't know about him keeping vigil by her bedside but something has definitely   
changed.

“Hook?”

“You called me Killian before,” he remembers, “after I kissed you,”

“You did _what_?” she questions.

He smiles, partly amused that she doesn't remember it; he didn't expect that she would but her wide-eyed expression is too adorable and likes seeing her so out of her element. “I kissed you,” he repeats, “It was your mother's idea, True Love's kiss, which normally only works when there's a curse involved. Even though you weren't under a curse, she thought I should still try it because you never know? It could work and looks like, it did because you're awake,”

“I see,” she breaths.

“Since you're awake now, I'll grab your parents and give them the happy news; we can resume searching for your boy tomorrow,” he reasons, standing suddenly

“Hoo – Killian wait,” Emma calls after him and he turns around, facing her.

His smile widens, staring at her. He waits for her to compose herself and she stands, walks over to him and kisses his cheek. He closes his eyes and his body stills, feeling the brush of her lips on his skin and when she backs away, he feels a heat imprint where her lips touched him. “That was for...” she starts, “Being with me while I sleeping,”

He looks at her curiously. How would she know that he spent every waking moment by her side?

“Emma?”

She smiles at him sheepishly. “I heard what you said, I heard everything and it moved me,” she admits, “and I want you know that I don't blame you. I didn't run immediately because I didn't want to leave you behind which was incredibly stupid on my part,”

Hook fixes a lock of hair behind her ear, smiling at her. “It was stupid, very...but flattering love that you would care about my safety above your own. Only one other person has done that,” he says.

“You came back,” Emma continues, “the first ever that came back and it didn't feel right to leave you again,”

“I'm not like the other men in your life Swan,” he promises, “unlike other people who've left you, broken and unable to trust, I hope you realize, I'm not them. Because I will always come back for you, especially since...you came back to me,”

“I know you aren't them Killian,” she breaths and kisses him again, this time on the lips and feels that spark that woke her moments earlier, and knows exactly what it means.

“Quite passionate Swan,” he teases her between kisses.

Emma smiles, kissing him back.

The End


End file.
